(Image credit: Ubisoft)
Star Wars Outlaws may not have had the launch that Ubisoft hoped for, falling short both critically and commercially. This ripple effect impacted their forthcoming open-world venture, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, prompting a delay shortly after Outlaws’ release. Ubisoft initially alluded to reflecting on ‘learnings from the Star Wars Outlaws release’ as the reason for this postponement. However, Jonathan Dumont, the creative director, shared with GamesRadar+ that the modifications weren’t as profound.
When probed about potential changes to Assassin’s Creed Shadows stemming from Star Wars Outlaws’ feedback, Dumont clarified, ‘Not really. We were basically trying to make the most polished game that we [can]’. He emphasized the goal was to ensure the experience remained bug-free and smooth. The game’s impressive dynamic weather system required close attention, as Dumont explained, ‘there’s a lot of things that we needed to look at.’
While the delay focused on refining the game, Ubisoft didn’t miss an opportunity to add ‘a couple bits of narrative here and there.’ During post-delay gameplay, the team identified chances to ‘reinforce the relationship’ between characters Yasuke and Naoe, which led to a new scene where they reflect on their futures under a clouded sky. Dumont acknowledged this adjustment, noting, ‘We had a few already, and people love those things. So alright, let’s try to get a little bit more in there.’
Though the delay was close to the anticipated launch, Dumont and the team felt it was beneficial, expressing, ‘It’s kind of cool also that we were close to launch, and then we get this extra time to do the things that typically you’re doing at the end.’
In other exciting news for Assassin’s Creed fans, Tencent has collaborated with Ubisoft to establish a new subsidiary, aiming to lead the development of future Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six titles. Stay tuned for weekly digests and tales from the communities you cherish!